


rotten work

by sueno



Category: One Piece
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, OP Secret Santa 2020, post-wano, wound care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:48:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28449423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sueno/pseuds/sueno
Summary: Satisfied with his work, Law drops the washcloth into the water and moves the basin onto the floor so it won’t spill onto the bed. Kid has been staring at him this whole time, tracking his every movement like a wild animal, suspicious and wary of any possible attack. Law stares back.
Relationships: Eustass Kid/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 1
Kudos: 59
Collections: OP Secret Santa 2020





	rotten work

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PandaMega](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PandaMega/gifts).



Sleep hasn’t come easily to Law since he was a child, since before leaving Flevance and well before meeting the Donquixotes. It comes to him in the form of short naps, or during the few nights where he forgets to retire to his cabin and falls asleep instead against Bepo, his first mate’s warm and familiar fur a sense of comfort. But sleep evades him most nights, especially when the Polar Tang submerges underwater, and even more so now that there’s someone else in his bed. 

Kid sleeps restlessly besides Law. He isn’t sure if the other captain has the same trouble that Law does--that wouldn’t be terribly surprising--or if the disquiet comes from the myriad of wounds on Kid’s body, most notably the stump of his left arm where it’s been cut cleanly off. 

Law tugs at the lamp chain on the bedside table, winces as light floods the cabin. Upon closer inspection, he can see that Kid’s face is damp with sweat and his body racked with violent shivers. His half-naked form is covered in bandages. Most of them are clean, Law knows; he saw Mugiwara’s doctor wrapping them a few days ago before they went their separate ways. Kid hasn’t been up to anything strenuous enough during his time upon the Polar Tang to soil them fast enough, either. But the signs of infection are clear. Law’s seen it over and over, stubborn pirates who aren’t careful in fights and don’t take care of themselves afterwards. 

He twists around to get a good look at Kid’s other side and sure enough, the bandages on his left arm are soaked through with blood and pus. Tony-ya must’ve treated his stump too, cleaned and wrapped the wound, which means that Kid’s been neglecting himself. Not terribly surprising, but it is frustrating. Law has better things to do than chase stubborn patients around with a medical kit, especially ones who aren’t on his crew, and especially other captains who should know better in the first place.

Unlikely to get sleep anytime soon, Law stands up out of bed and resigns himself. It’ll be easier to take care of the infection now rather than hunting down Kid tomorrow, which will undoubtedly cause a scene. 

Law makes his way around to the other side of the bed, creating a room that encompasses the cabin, muttered under his breath. With the flick of his wrist and a quiet shambles, the basin of water he keeps on the dresser relocates itself besides Kid, along with some washcloths, a roll of clean wrappings, and a bottle of antibiotic salve. He pulls up a stool at Kid’s side, sits down and rolls his sleeves up.

Getting the soiled wrappings off Kid’s arm is his first matter of business. It’s tricky work; they’ve stuck themselves onto the open wound and peeling them off causes Kid to jerk in his sleep. There’s no getting around waking the other captain--it’s going to happen sooner or later, but Law would prefer to keep him unconscious for as long as possible. Once awake, Kid will only gripe and complain, making it harder for Law to do his job properly. For now, Law uses his devil fruit to help free the bandages from Kid’s skin without disturbing him too much.

Once off, they’re tossed aside to the floor. Law takes one of the washcloths and soaks it in the water basin before wringing out the excess. He uses it to wipe away the sweat and grime from Kid’s face, his movements kept light and gentle. The cloth is left folded neatly on top of Kid’s forehead to keep him cool.

Law wets the next washcloth and begins to clean the stump itself, starting at the top, just above the stitches, and making his way slowly down to where the infection has taken root.

Gentle though Law may be, the sensation of Kid’s wound being touched directly causes him to jolt awake. His eyes snap open, wild, and his good arm instinctively flies forward to strike Law.

The blow doesn’t connect; Law dodges in time for Kid to hit nothing but air. 

“Eustass-ya,” Law says, “it’s just me.”

Kid’s panic is clear on his expression, but his eyes aren’t focused on Law and he makes no move to lash out again. A second too late, Law realizes his mistake. 

A scalpel, usually resting on his dresser with the rest of his surgical tools, is sent propelling towards his face with the power of Kid’s devil fruit. Not fast enough, the knife connects with Law’s cheek before he can use his own devil fruit to stop it’s momentum.

“Kid, stop that,” he tries again, louder this time and with more authority. 

Law’s voice seems to break Kid out of his panic. His eyes refocus and seem to take in their surroundings, and he relaxes back into the mattress.

“What the fuck are you doing?” he growls out.

Law looks pointedly at Kid’s left side, the stump thankfully not too disturbed. “You have an infection. I was cleaning it out.”

“In the middle of the fucking night?” Kid demands.

“Easier than tracking you down during the day. I doubt you’d’ve let me get anywhere near it.”

Law’s reply pisses Kid off and he opens his mouth to report, then snaps it back shut, his jaw grinding in irritation. He stares at Law, searching for something, but Kid doesn’t seem to find whatever it is he’s looking for.

“Fine, whatever,” he mutters, “just make it fast.”

Kid settles further into the bed, making a show of turning his head away from Law. The doctor nods, and picks the washcloth up.

Law is just as careful not to disturb the injury or his patient, but now that Kid is awake he reacts more easily. Even the lightest of touches has to hurt, Law knows and tries to minimize the pain as much as possible, but the infection needs to be cleaned out.

“Why haven’t you been taking care of this?” he asks, but is met with no reply. “You’re lucky I caught it so early. If it had gotten bad enough, I would’ve had to remove more of your arm. If it reaches your heart, you could’ve died.”

Kid stays quiet, but he turns his head back towards Law.

There’s no point in hounding him, so Law keeps the rest of his lecture to himself and continues. He makes quick work of the rest of the cleaning, and moves on to applying the antibiotic salve. It can’t be comfortable, and Kid wrinkles his nose at it’s foul smell, but otherwise stays blessedly silent. 

Law finishes it quickly, with deft and practice hands, and wraps Kid’s stump firmly with fresh bandages. He looks Kid over, first his arm and then the rest of him. The damp washcloth he’d placed on Kid’s forehead has slid half-off when he’d woken up. Law picks it up.

Satisfied with his work, Law drops the washcloth into the water and moves the basin onto the floor so it won’t spill onto the bed. Kid has been staring at him this whole time, tracking his every movement like a wild animal, suspicious and wary of any possible attack. Law stares back.

“What?”

Kid breaks eye contact, clearly flustered. He makes to sit up but struggles with just his right arm to support his weight. 

“Hey, stop that,” Law says, reaching out to help Kid sit up properly, but the other captain resists and moves away from Law’s hands.

“I don’t need fucking help,” Kid bites out. It takes him a minute to pull himself completely upright on his own. Once readjusting, his eyes find their way back to Law’s own.

Not quite, Law realizes. Kid isn’t making eye contact, his gaze fixed down on Law’s cheek, at the small cut he’d made with his abilities. Law smirks, his hand drawing up to touch the incision. His fingers come away wet with his own blood.

“Worried about me, Eustass-ya?” he teases.

Kid looks up now and frowns, but doesn’t rise to Law’s bait.

“Why the hell are you awake anyway?”

The question surprises Law, but he’s careful to keep his face smug.

“I always know when my patients need me, Eustass-ya, it’s a doctor’s sixth sense.”

**Author's Note:**

> my gift to pandamega for the op secret santa 2020! thank you so much for such a wonderful prompt, i had a lot of fun writing it and i hope you enjoy it!
> 
> kudos/comments appreciated !!


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